Variable electric metronome

ABSTRACT

A metronome for indicating musical tempo, the device comprising a series of cylinders mounted on a shaft that is driven by an electric motor, each of the cylinders having a radially outwardly extending spoke or several spokes adaptable to strike a sound producing device that is slideable along a rod for selectively engaging the spokes of a specific cylinder, and the soundproducing device being rapidly slideable along the rod by means of a foot controlled mechanism.

United States Patent [4 1 May23, 1972 Robertson [54] VARIABLE ELECTRIC NIETRONOME [72] Inventor: Walter C. Robertson, PO. Box 1292, San

Marcos, Tex. 78666 [22] Filed: Mar. 18, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 20,488

[52] Cl. ..84/484, 58/130C [51] .lnLCI. ..G04f5/02 [58] Field of Search ..84/477, 484, 402; 58/ l 30 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Kylin et a1 ..84/484 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 874,023 8/1961 Great Britain ..58/130 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-John F. Gonzales [57] ABSTRACT A metronome for indicating musical tempo, the device comprising a series of cylinders mounted on a shalt that is driven by an electric motor, each of the cylinders having a radially outwardly extending spoke or several spokes adaptable to strike a sound producing device that is slideable along a rod for selectively engaging the spokes of a specific cylinder, and the sound-producing device being rapidly slideable along the rod by means of a foot controlled mechanism.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures FOOT PE DAL VARIABLE ELECTRIC METRONOME This invention relates generally to metronomes such as are used for indicating music tempo.

A principle object of the present invention is to provide an electric metronome that is variable for indicating quarter notes, eighth notes, triplets or sixteenth notes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a variable electric metronome which can be foot operated so as to quickly and easily change from one note value to another.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a variable electric metronome which can be controlled by a foot pedal so as to freethe musician's hands for operating his instrument.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a variable electric metronome which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an end elevation view of a plurality of cylinders comprising components of the present invention, and

FIG. 3 is a line of music showing different value notes which may be played by a music student while utilizing the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral represents a variable electric metronome according to the present invention wherein there is an assembly 11 that is rotatable upon a motor shaft 12 driven by an electric motor 13.

The assembly 1 l is comprised of a plurality of four cylinders l4'each of which is designated by a different alphabetical letter, as shown in the drawing. Each cylinder 14 has a central opening 15 for firmly securing the cylinder on the shaft 12, and each cylinder further includes a cylindrical outer side wall 16 upon which one or more radially extending spokes 17 extend.

The first of the cylinders designated with the alphabetical letter a is provided with a singular spoke 17. The next adjacent cylinder designated with the alphabetical letter b is provided with two spokes 17. The next adjacent cylinder 0 is provided with three radially outwardly extending spokes 17, while the last of the cylinders designated with the letter d is provided with four spokes 17.

A sound producing device 18 is positioned adjacent the assembly 11, the sound producing device comprising a collar 19 that is mounted slideably free on a rod 20 that is stationarily supported in a housing not shown.

The housing may further support and possibly enclose the assembly 11 as well as the motor 13. The collar 19 includes a radially extending stud 21 which is in position so that it can selectively be made to be struck by certain of the spokes 17 above described.

The collar 19 has a lug 22 integral therewith attached to a pin 33 attached at its opposite end to one end of a lever 34 which at its opposite end is mounted on a pin 35 held at one end of a right angle lever 36 that is pivotable about a pin 37 supported on a stationary bearing block 38.

The other end of the right angle lever 36 is connected by means of a pin 39 to an upper end of a downwardly extending rod 40, the lower end of the rod 40 being connected to a foot pedal, not shown.

In operative use, it is now readily evident that upon a single rotation of the shaft 12 caused by the motor 13, each of the cylinders a, b, c, and d make one full rotation, thus all of the spokes 17 being carried around once. If the foot pedal is operated so to present the stud 21 in alignment with the cylinder a, the single spoke 17 will strike the stud producing a single striking sound.

If, however, the collar 19 is made to slide over for alignment with the next cylinder b, the stud will be struck twice upon a sin le rotation of the shaft 12 due to the two spokes l7.

ikewise, if the collar is moved to the next cylinder c, the stud will be struck three times upon a single rotation of the shaft 12.

Similarly when aligned with cylinder d, the stud will be struck four times by spokes 17 upon a single rotation of the shaft 12.

Thus in operative use, the musician can quickly and easily align the sound producing device with any of the selective cylinders as he prefers by simple depressing or releasing a foot pedal.

It is to be noted that a return spring 41 serves to release the mechanism for sliding over the sound producing device.

It is to be noted that the single spoke cylinder a is for representing quarter notes. The next cylinder b with two spokes represents eighth notes. The cylinder c with three spokes represents triplets. The cylinder d with four spokes represents l6th notes.

Thus with the present construction, the student may quickly and easily adjust the mechanism so as to play the music written written, when the sound producing device is aligned with the selected spokes, each beat of a measure will start at the same place in a revolution of the motorshaft.

What I now claim is:

1. In a variable electric metronome, the combination of a rotatable assembly, said rotatable assembly being driven by an electric motor, and said rotatable assembly carrying means for striking a sound producing device, said sound producing device being adjustable so as to selectively indicate quarter notes, eighth notes, triplets or l6th notes, said sound producing device comprising a stationary rod having an axis which is parallel to an axis of a motor shaft of said motor, said rod supporting a freely slideable collar, said collar having a radially outwardly extending stud, said stud selectively being aligned for striking spokes on any of a plurality of cylinders that comprise said rotatable assembly.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said rotatable assembly comprised of said plurality of cylinders is provided with each of said cylinders having a central opening receiving said motor shaft of said motor, said shaft being securely held to each said cylinder, a first of said cylinders having a single radially outwardly extending spoke, a second of said cylinders having a pair of diametrically opposite, radially outwardly extending spokes, a third of said cylinders having three equally spaced apart radially, outwardly extending spokes, and a fourth of said cylinders having four equally spaced apart, radially, outwardly extending spokes.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein a foot operated mechanism is connected to said sound producing device, said foot operated mechanism comprising one end of a straight lever being pivotally connected to said collar, the opposite end of said lever being pivotally connected to one end of a right angle lever, an opposite end of said right angle lever being pivotally connected to a vertically extending rod which at its lower end is connected to a foot pedal, an intermediate comer of said right angle lever being pivotally connected to a pin supported upon a bearing block, and said right angle lever being normally urged upwardly against the action of said foot pedal by meansof a compression coil spring. 

1. In a variable electric metronome, the combination of a rotatable assembly, said rotatable assembly being driven by an electric motor, and said rotatable assembly carrying means for striking a sound producing device, said sound producing device being adjustable so as to selectively indicate quarter notes, eighth notes, triplets or 16th notes, said sound producing device comprising a stationary rod having an axis which is parallel to an axis of a motor shaft of said motor, said rod supporting a freely slideable collar, said collar having a radially outwardly extending stud, said stud selectively being aligned for striking spokes on any of a plurality of cylinders that comprise said rotatable assembly.
 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said rotatable assembly comprised of said plurality of cylinders is provided with each of said cylinders having a central opening receiving said motor shaft of said motor, said shaft being securely held to each said cylinder, a first of said cylinders having a single radially outwardly extending spoke, a second of said cylinders having a pair of diametrically opposite, radially outwardly extending spokes, a third of said cylinders having three equally spaced apart radially, outwardly extending spokes, and a fourth of said cylinders having four equally spaced apart, radially, outwardly extending spokes.
 3. The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein a foot operated mechanism is connected to said sound producing device, said foot operated mechanism comprising one end of a straight lever being pivotally connected to said collar, the opposite end of said lever being pivotally connected to one end of a right angle lever, an opposite end of said right angle lever being pivotally connected to a vertically extending rod which at its lower end is connected to a foot pedal, an intermediate corner of said right angle lever being pivotally connected to a pin supported upon a bearing block, and said right angle lever being normally Pg,9 urged upwardly against the action of said foot pedal by means of a compression coil spring. 